Vessel-closure.



No. 892,886. PATENTED JULY 7, 1908. W H PRBST VESSEL CLOSURE.

APPLICATION FILED SPT.11,1907.

INVENTOR We! z erjf B1965 A TTOHNEYS WALTER HENRY PREST, OF WEBBWOOD,ONTARIO, CANADA.

VESSEL-CLOSURE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 7, 1908.

Application filed September 11, 1907. Serial No. 392.323.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVALTER HENRY PREsT, a citizen of Canada, and aresident of l/Vebbwood, in the Province of Ontario and Dominion ofCanada, have invented a new and Improved Vessel-Closure, of which thefollowing is'a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to vessel closures, and it is particularly usefulin connection with devices of this character employed for sealing jarsand the like.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, strong and durablevessel closure, having means for permitting the escape of excess steamgenerated in the preparation of preserves and the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide a vessel closure havingan adjustable escape valve, which can be regulated to permit the escapeof steam or other vapors from the jar at any desired pressure.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of parts tobe more particularly described hereinafter and fully set forth in theclaims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1represents the upperportion of a fruit jar showing my closure appliedthereto; Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section through the cover showingthe escape valve; and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a detail.

Like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all theviews.

Before proceeding to a more detailed explanation of my invention itshould be understood that preserves of fruit, vegetables and the like,are kept in sealed vessels to insure the preservation of the same and toprevent the admission of air to.the contents of the vessels. After thepreserves are prepared by boiling, cooking or in other ways,

they are placed in jars and allowed to cool partially, and the jars arethen sealed, or the preserves are allowed to cool in the unsealed jarsand are re-heated before the sealing takes place. The object of thisoperation is to destroy any germs which may have come in contact withthe preserves or to expel the air from the jars. Another method ofpreparing the preserves is to place them in the jars and boil thepreserves in these vessels, openings being provided to permit the escapeof steam; when cool enough, so that the steam pressure will not burstthe jars,

the openings are closed by sealing, soldering or in any other suitablemanner, and the jars and the contents are allowed to cool. I provide avessel closure having an escape valve which permits the escape of steamor other vaporsfrom the jars in excess of a certain pressure, thusadapting the particularly well for the boiling of preserves therein asin the last mentioned method. The escape valve is adjustable and canthus be set for any desired pressure. \ly invention obviates thenecessity of soldering or sealing the openings, and automaticallyprevents the contamination of the preserves by contact with the air.

Referring more particularly to the draw- .ings, 1 represents a fruit jarof the usual type having a suitable threaded neck L. It should beunderstood that preserve vessels of any common or preferred type may beemployed, provided a cover presenting a surface as shown in theaccompanying drawings is used. Screwed upon the threaded neck of the aris a cover 3 having sides 4 properly threaded; the cover 3 is preferablyof zinc or other suitable metal. The top of the cover 4 has an escapeopening 6 therethrough to permit the steam or other vapors to pass fromthe ars. Seating against the top 5 covering the opening 6, is a sealingmember 7 preferably in the form of a nut and having at its under side athreaded recess 8. A washer 9, preferably of rubber or similar materialis provided between the top 5 and the member 7, to insure the hermeticalsealing of the esca e opening. I provide a stem 10 preferab y comprisinga screw having a threaded shank 11 and a head 12. The stem 10 is mountedin the threaded recess of the mem her 7 and extends through the opening6 to the inner side of the head.

A leaf spring 13 having an opening 14 near the middle and with the ends15 laterally disposed at an angle with the body of the spring, isprovided at the inner side of the cover, engaging with the head 12 ofthe stem 10. The extremities of the spring 13 are curved to a form thusadapted to rest slidably against the inner side of the cover. It will beunderstood that the spring resiliency holds the member 7 covering theopening 6, the tension of the spring depending upon the relativeadjustment of the member and the stem; thus the escape valve can be setfor any desired pressure by merely turning the nut member to shorten orlengthen the portion of the stem extending through the cover to theunder side thereof. If so desired, the leaf spring 13 may be replaced bya helical spring, mounted upon the stem and engaging with the head 12and the inner side of the cover.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent:

1. A vessel closure, comprising a removable cover having an opening, amember adapted to close said opening, and means on the inner side ofsaid cover for resiliently holding said member in-position to seal saidopening, and means operable from the outer side of said cover foradjusting said holding means.

2. A vessel closure, comprising a removable cover having an opening, amember seating against said cover to seal said opening, and adjustablemeans on the inner side of said cover for holding said memberresiliently in position to seal said opening.

3. A vessel closure, comprising a remov able cover having an opening, amember seating against said cover to seal said opening and having anadjustable stem extending through said opening, and means on the innerside of said cover for resiliently engaging said stem to hold saidmember in position to seal said opening.

4. A vessel closure, comprising a removable cover having an opening, amember seating against said cover to seal said opening, a Washer betweensaid cover and said member, a stem adjustably mounted upon said memberand extending through said opening to the inner side of said cover, anda spring resting against the inner side of said cover and engaging saidstem resiliently to hold said member in position to seal said opening.

In testimony whereof I have signed my .name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

WALTER HENRY PREST.

Witnesses:

B. W. BURNS, JOHN P. MARTIN.

